You make sure your kids are eating healthy... so why aren't you?

Hi there! My name is Diana and I am 22 years old. I live in Southern Maryland with my husband and our 2 children. My daughter Isabella is nine months old and my son Steven is just about to turn 3. Boy does time fly! I am a full time student at the College of Southern Maryland and am working towards becoming a Registered Nurse. Between raising two children and going to school, there is never a dull moment in my life.

It’s summertime now and I’ve got a few months off from school. I hope to use this time to make some major changes in my life… Ya see, I’ve always been the fat girl and it’s really starting to get old. I’m sick of feeling out of place and embarrassed by the way that I look. It’s definitely time for a change! I have got a long road ahead of me and over 100 pounds I’d like to lose.

So, I invite you to join me on this journey as I work towards losing weight, getting fit, and becoming the happy and healthy person I’ve always longed to be. So here goes!

Being a parent is hard work, there’s no denying that! Our needs always come second to the needs of our children. As the mother of two young children, my live revolves around making sure that my kids are both happy and healthy. I do everything in my power to make sure that they’re eating well balanced meals. I carefully prepare their meals and snacks to be sure that they’re getting enough protein, iron, and nutrients. I monitor their fluid intake, and am always careful to limit the amount of sugar that I give them. But when it comes to myself, I pay very little attention to the things that go into my body. I gulp down sodas and sugary soft drinks instead of drinking water and mindlessly munch on high fat, high calorie foods. Why is it that I pay such close attention to their nutritional needs but have such a hard time controlling my own?!

I’ve struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. And after having two children I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been in my life. Over the years I’ve tried many different ways to lose weight. Some with more success than others but nothing I’ve tried has given me lasting results. I always end up gaining the weight back… and then some. Now that I’m a mother I am beginning to realize just how important it is for me to get my weight under control. I want to be able to play with my kids without getting winded, and I want to live a long time to be there for them and to watch them grow up. I’ve decided that now is the time to change. I want to be a role model for my children, and in order to do that I need to get healthy.

I’ve always considered the health of my little ones’ to be far more valuable than my own, but I’ve come to the realization that it’s important to take proper care of myself as well…. Because if I’m not well enough to take care of my children, then who’s going to do it? Unfortunately, changing one’s lifestyle isn’t exactly easy, but you’ve got to start somewhere, right? So I’ve decided to start small. I’m going to start drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegetables, and I’m going to try to go for a walk every day. The hardest part for me is going to be forgiving myself if I fail. Old habits die hard, and we all have our moments of weakness. I’ve just got to stay strong and start each day anew. I’ve got to be patient and always keep my eyes on the prize… the prize of living a long, happy, and healthful life with my family.